


Spokane

by Amikotsu



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Day 8, Fate, First Dates, Friendship, KakaObi Week 2019, M/M, Road Trips, Slow Romance, Strangers to Lovers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 00:09:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17776835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amikotsu/pseuds/Amikotsu
Summary: “Is this seat taken?”Circumstances brought them together. Some would have called it fate, but Obito called it luck. When he’s trying his best to start over, life throws him a bone. Or in his case, life throws him Kakashi.





	Spokane

The station had jazz music playing in the background, just something to fill the quiet. There were five other people in the building, plus the two workers at the Starbucks. Obito sipped at the remnants of his macchiato, the caramel at the bottom of the cup lingering on his taste buds. He sat at a small table, one of three small tables in the Starbucks area, and made napkin flowers. The other five people sat on benches near the doors, trying to stay close to the loading point. Obito had been one them, but that had been at midnight. By two in the morning, he’d grown restless. The bus still had another fifteen minutes until arrival, and then he’d board, just like the others, on a bus bound for Seattle. His carry-on bag and his two rolling suitcases were next to his chair, creating a barrier. Neither of the workers at the coffee shop bothered talking to him; they took his order, made his drink, and sent him away, completely uninterested in where he was going or what he was doing. Maybe it was better that way. He didn’t need a conversation. He’d had all the conversations he needed when he’d found his best friend in bed with his boyfriend. Of course, it was mostly screaming, combined with throwing the man’s clothes out the third-floor window. Yes, he’d had all the conversations he needed.

When the bus arrived, Obito slung his carry-on strap over his right shoulder and collected his rolling suitcases. The other passengers were older, a couple of them wearing Hawaiian t-shirts and floppy straw hats. They had cameras around their necks, and they snapped quick photos of the Greyhound bus. The other three passengers made up a small family, with a mother, father, and toddler. The toddler was fast asleep. It would have been a surprise if the kid was awake. It was almost three in the morning. After his two suitcases were stored in the baggage compartment, Obito entered into the bus and claimed a seat in the middle, right next to the window. The couple stayed in the front, while the family went toward the back. Obito dug through his carry-on bag and pulled out his phone and earbuds, then he looked out over the city. He hadn’t lived there long, but he’d always hated it. New York City never really slept. He’d tired of the taxi horns and the sound of the garbage truck on Tuesday mornings; he’d tired of the parking issues and the commute to work. He was more than happy to leave it all behind. 

But he’d really thought his boyfriend had been _the one_ , as silly as it sounded. He should have known the guy was a jerk. They’d been together for three years, and the guy hadn’t even considered marriage. He’d made up excuses about his family not knowing he was in a relationship with a man. He made them sound homophobic, and Obito had let it slide. After all, Obito’s grandmother wasn’t exactly happy to find out that she wasn’t getting grandkids. Never mind that he didn’t like kids in the first place. When the bus pulled out of the station, Obito waved at the city. He waved goodbye to his home, his job, his sleazy ex, and everything that had helped shape him into Obito. Goodbye, New York City. Hello, Seattle.

After two hours, the bus made a quick stop in New Jersey, and then it was on to Pennsylvania. Obito tracked the bus route from his phone, checking it in between listening to songs from his road-trip playlist. In total, the bus made four stops in Pennsylvania, and Obito stayed on board for all but the last one. He ventured out to the bus station to piss and grab a Coke from one of the vending machines, and then it was back on the bus, back to the seventy-two hour ride. He hated airplanes, or he might have flown from New York to Seattle. Well, it helped that his grandmother had wired him some cash for the bus ticket. Being unemployed and homeless didn’t do well for Obito’s finances. Behind him, a man was talking on his cell phone, telling someone how much he loved them, promising kisses when he gets there, wherever _there_ was -- with all of the stops and the length of the trip, who knew where the man entered and exited. 

It was two in the afternoon when the bus made its way through a dying city. The buildings looked old, some of the faces crumbling. A sign marked it as being “the friendly city,” a place by the name of Wheeling, West Virginia. Obito had never been to Wheeling. It had a lot of commercial buildings and one big arena. Obito liked the view of the waterfront the best. He might have exited the bus, if they’d had a lengthy stop. As it was, more people entered, and the doors closed. A man stopped near Obito’s seat, a carry-on bag in one hand and a beat-up novel in the other. A quick scan of the bus told Obito that all of the other seats were taken. Reluctantly, Obito grabbed his bag from the seat beside him and rested it atop his lap. He didn’t want to put it in the overhead. What if he wanted something from his bag, like those chips he’d picked up in Harrisburg?

“Thanks.” The guy smiled, his eyes momentarily closing, and then he slipped into the seat. Obito nodded, then changed the song on his playlist. The man had also decided not to put his carry-on in the overhead compartment, so his bag went on his lap. Obito looked at the paperback the man was reading, but the title was facing the aisle. “Are you trying to read my book?”

“What? No! I was just looking for the title. I thought, well, maybe I read it somewhere?” Obito acted offended, even though he was embarrassed. He’d been caught. It’s why he preferred sitting alone. Sometimes, he annoyed people with his curiosity, or any number of other things, apparently. At least that’s what his ex had shouted at him. “So what’s it called?”

“ _Sundays at Tiffany’s_.” He slid his index finger between the pages to mark his stopping point, then showed Obito the cover. “I don’t normally read James Patterson, but a friend suggested it. It’s good, so far.”

“Isn’t that a cheesy romance novel?”

“That depends. It’s about a young girl and her imaginary friend, where they connect years later, long after she should have forgotten him. It was made into a movie a few years ago, but I haven’t seen it.” The man reopened the book and resumed reading. The book itself truly was a beat-up paperback, looking more like it’d been through war than anything. The pages were bent, where someone had marked stopping points, and some of the lines had been underlined. “Are you interested in reading it? You’re staring.”

“No! Sorry. I brought a book.” Obito patted his carry-on, then he dug around in the front pocket for the book he’d picked. The book was thick and with yellowed pages, from the years it had spent in storage. Obito was more of a writer than a reader.

“ _Shadow of a Dark Queen_ ,” the man read aloud. Obito turned the book over and offered the summary to him. He leaned in and read the light text, then the two reviews. “Fantasy. Do you like it?”

“I read it a long time ago, and I figured why not reread it?” Obito pulled his book away, but he tucked it back into his bag. He didn’t feel like reading, and maybe he wouldn’t read it at all. His ex, Raido, had been the reader. “I probably shouldn’t have left it in storage for so long. It’s almost as bad as your book.”

“What’s wrong with my book?” 

“Nothing! Nothing at all!”

“Maa, no need to lie. I know my friend doesn’t take care of her books. I didn’t think it was that bad though.” The man hummed and turned the book around in his hands. The cover was missing the bottom right corner and the picture on the front had cracks across it. Someone had clearly loved the book. “Maybe I shouldn’t be seen with it,” he joked.

“For the content alone, no. Men shouldn’t read romance novels.”

“Oh? What should men read? I’d like to know, so I can read it.”

“You know,” Obito stalled, motioning with his hands. “Books about war and, well,” Obito trailed off and shrugged his shoulders. The man beside him laughed and Obito blushed. He wasn’t well-versed when it came to literature, so he had no other suggestions. Raido had preferred dark fantasy, so Obito didn’t bother mentioning dark fantasy; in fact, he shouldn’t have brought the book he had brought, simply because it reminded him of his ex. He definitely didn’t feel like reading. 

“I’m a History teacher. I don’t need more war in my life. I think I’d rather read romance novels. Are you going to judge me for that, when you’re listening to rap?” The man reached over and prodded the side of Obito’s phone.

“It’s a good song! And don’t look at my phone!” Obito hastily shoved his phone into his carry-on, leaving the top unzipped so he could still reach the buttons on the screen. Obito huffed, turning his head to hide his pout. He was thirty years old, so he could enjoy whatever music he wanted to. There was nothing wrong with a little Eminem.

“I can see you pouting in your reflection.”

“Ugh, leave me alone.”

It was almost five, when the bus finally rolled to a stop. They were somewhere in Ohio, at least that’s what Obito’s phone said. The station was near a couple of fast-food restaurants, but the inside also had a small food court, from what Obito could see out of his window. The man next to him had already moved, probably thinking the same thing. Obito had to stretch his legs, at least, and he certainly wasn’t surviving on the crumbs in his chip bag. There was a small cafe inside, one that reminded Obito of the coffee shop at the station in New York City, except it certainly wasn’t Starbucks. His fellow passenger had claimed one of the last remaining tables, so Obito knew he’d have to share with someone. True enough, after he’d gotten a chicken sandwich and a large coffee, he had to share a table with the guy from the bus.

“Can I sit here?”

“I don’t know. _Can you_?”

“So you’re one of those teachers,” Obito sighed, almost slamming his plastic tray down onto the table. He took the seat anyway, and the guy across from him didn’t seem to care. The guy wasn’t reading his book anymore, so he must have left it on the bus. “What did you get?”

“Turkey and tomato,” the man replied, stopping to take a drink of flavored water. Obito looked down at his chicken, then over at the turkey and tomato. Why hadn’t he gotten that instead? “You aren’t getting my food.”

“I wasn’t trying to get your food! It looks good, that’s all.” Obito took a long drink of his coffee and smiled to himself. Coffee was just what he needed. “Stop staring at me. It’s weird.”

“I looked at you. How is that staring at you?” The guy rolled his eyes and bit into his sandwich. As he chewed, he looked over at the menu hanging above the cafe’s counter. “Maybe I should get a coffee to go.”

“Okay? Then get a coffee.” Obito got mustard on the front of his shirt and he let out a string of curse words. He grabbed some napkins from the center of the table and started dabbing at the material, but the mustard had already soaked into the fabric.

“You need white vinegar.”

“Does it look like I have white vinegar on me, guy from the bus?” Obito knew he shouldn’t have been so nasty, but he was wearing a white t-shirt with mustard smeared across it. Obito wasn’t hungry anymore. 

“Kakashi,” the guy sitting across from him said. 

“Obito,” Obito grunted. He poked at his sandwich until his stomach growled, then he quickly looked over to see if Kakashi had heard the inhuman sound. Sure enough, Kakashi was quietly laughing. “It’s not that funny. Stop laughing. God, you’re annoying.”

“I’m the one who’s annoying?”

“What is _that_ supposed to mean?”

“You’ve been staring at me since Zanesville,” Kakashi said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. That stop had been over an hour ago. Obito tried to think back to their bus trip so far, but he didn’t think he’d been staring the whole time. Sure, he’d taken quick looks, but the guy was handsome. Wait. What? “You’re doing it again.”

“I’m thinking!”

“It’s taking a long time.”

“Do you want to wear this coffee?”

“It would save me from ordering a coffee to go,” Kakashi replied, feigning a thoughtful expression. He smiled afterwards, that same stupid smile he gave when he wanted to sit next to Obito. “I would take your time eating. We have another forty-five minutes until the bus leaves.”

“I can’t picture someone like you teaching history,” Obito admitted, after some time had passed and his temper had cooled. “You seem more like a mathematics kind of guy.”

“How does someone seem ‘like a mathematics kind of guy’?” 

“Because they’re all self-righteous assholes.”

“So you teach mathematics?”

“No! I’m a writer! Sort of,” Obito frowned. He picked at his sandwich, eating the flatbread around the edges. Kakashi looked at him and he felt as if he owed the man an explanation. He took a drink of his coffee, trying to stall, but Kakashi continued waiting. “I worked as a copy editor for an online publication. I didn’t get to write anything,” Obito explained, nervously tapping his foot.

“You should submit some of your writing, when you get to wherever you’re going. You don’t want to be a copy editor for the rest of your life, do you?”

“Seattle.” Obito glanced down at his plate, at the pieces of flatbread he’d tugged away from his sandwich. At least he wasn’t making napkin flowers again. That would have been embarrassing. “I’m going back to Seattle to look after my grandmother.”

“Spokane,” Kakashi answered, after a moment of hesitation. “I’m going to a funeral.”

“I’m sorry. But why didn’t you fly in?”

“I prefer taking the bus. I like seeing the country.”

“I’m afraid of flying. Airplanes crash too much.”

“Buses crash too.”

Obito glared at Kakashi over the plastic rim of his coffee cup, but he didn’t reply. The rest of the hour passed in a comfortable silence. When they finally boarded the bus, Obito reclaimed his window seat, and Kakashi slid in next to him. Kakashi stored his carry-on bag in the overhead compartment, so Obito had Kakashi store his carry-on bag as well, leaving the both of them with one item: Kakashi had his romance novel, and Obito had his phone and earbuds. Obito didn’t want to listen to music though. He wanted to talk. So he settled for watching Kakashi read.

“May I help you with something, Obito?” Kakashi didn’t look up from his book, his eyes never leaving the page. Obito moved around, angling himself toward Kakashi. “Let me guess, you’re bored. Do you want me to get your carry-on down?”

“No! No, I just thought we could talk,” Obito admitted. He watched Kakashi mark the page by folding down the corner, something that had already been done there once before. When Kakashi made a vague motion with his hand, urging Obito to continue, Obito realized he didn’t actually have anything to say. He didn’t even know where to start. “Where are you from?”

“Hm. Miami, actually. I moved to Pittsburgh when I turned eighteen.”

“Why would you leave _Miami_ for that shit hole?”

“I like Pittsburgh.” Kakashi shrugged a shoulder and let Obito’s comment fly by. He’d had his choice of places to live and work, and he’d chosen Pittsburgh. He hadn’t regretted it yet. “Where are you from?”

“Seattle. I relocated to New York City a few years back to be with my ex. He got a really good job offer, and I figured I could find work anywhere.” Obito didn’t want to remember the better times, as there likely hadn’t been any better times. His ex was a lying, cheating, conniving piece of shit, and that was final. Obito didn’t want to think about his ex ever again, but Raido kept breezing through his thoughts.

“You should never relocate for a relationship, unless you’re already married.”

“Thank you. It’s a little late for the advice though.”

“Apply it next time.” Kakashi smiled and Obito couldn’t help but return it. With a lull in the conversation, Obito heard the guy behind him talking on the phone, singing happy birthday to someone, most likely a child. Obito looked down at his own phone, the screen cover smudged with fingerprints. He didn’t have anyone to call. His grandmother didn’t believe in cell phones, and her home phone had terrible static. Obito hardly understood her, at times.

“How old are you, Kakashi?”

“You really shouldn’t ask that.”

“You don’t ask a _lady_ that. Nice try.”

“Twenty-eight,” Kakashi answered, as if he really didn’t care for his age. Obito felt the same way. He regretted asking, because he knew Kakashi would turn the question back on him. Sure enough, he did. “How old are you?”

“I turned thirty in February,” Obito sighed. He felt old. Beside him, Kakashi nodded, eyes trailing toward the paperback. “I thought I’d at least have a short story out, but I haven’t had the time. I guess I’ll have all of the time in the world now.”

“I thought you were going to look after your grandmother. That takes time.”

“Actually,” Obito began, “it’s a little bit of that and a little bit of the fact that I have no place to live. My name wasn’t on the lease for the apartment. I don’t even have my own car. I really didn’t think things through.” Obito stopped and cleared his throat, “I sound pretty pathetic.”

“I lived out of my car for a few months, before I landed a job at the university.” Kakashi didn’t seem bothered by his admission, nor by Obito’s. That made Obito feel a little bit better about himself. Honestly, Obito would have found someone like himself pathetic. “You’ll get back on your feet.”

“Spokane, huh?”

“My foster family relocated from Florida to Washington. Yes, they moved away from Miami,” Kakashi said, a small smile in place. It didn’t quite reach his eyes. “The man that helped raise me just passed away.”

“What was his name?” Obito hoped he didn’t sound insensitive by asking, but he also wanted to know. They were talking. People talked about sad topics all of the time, death included. Kakashi didn’t even hesitate to respond, as if it were a knee-jerk reaction.

“Minato.”

“I’m sorry, Kakashi.”

After that, Kakashi went back to reading his book, and Obito really couldn’t blame him. They didn’t speak again until after their transfer in Indianapolis. They were the first ones on the bus, so all of the seats were available. For some reason, they still ended up sitting next to one another. Obito took the window seat again, and Kakashi took the aisle seat. Before he sat down, Kakashi put their carry-on bags in the overhead, leaving them with a book and a phone all over again. The next stop was Chicago, where they would do another transfer, but they had about two hours until that point. Obito reclined his seat and used the footrest, trying to get comfortable in the space that he had. Beside him, Kakashi had already reclined and had his eyes closed. Obito turned in his seat to stare at Kakashi. He had a good jawline, Obito noted. Kakashi was wearing a black v-neck t-shirt that had ridden up on the bottom right side, which Obito really shouldn’t have noticed. It was far too late to ignore it though. Obito waved a hand in front of Kakashi’s face, but the man didn’t react, so Obito reached over and tugged at the bottom of the shirt, trying to hide the skin that had tempted him. Did Kakashi work out? The thought had him taking another quick look at Kakashi’s face, and that was when he noticed Kakashi was staring at him. Obito quickly withdrew his hands and turned to face the front. He pretended as if nothing had happened.

“If you wanted me to take my shirt off, you could have asked me. You didn’t have to wait until you thought I was asleep, Obito.”

“Are you serious?”

“No, I’m not.” Obito crossed his arms over his chest and glared out at the dark landscape. It was getting late, and he should have been napping, trying to get in a couple of hours before Chicago. “What were you doing?”

“Your shirt was riding up. It was inappropriate,” Obito said, eyes still glued on the world outside of the window. He saw Kakashi’s reflection as the man looked for exposed skin. When Kakashi tugged the bottom of the v-neck shirt down, Obito scowled. Obito knew he seemed like he was trying to undress Kakashi, possibly even molest the man. 

“It didn’t show anything,” Kakashi laughed, his head back against the headrest. Obito couldn’t turn away enough. He thought about excusing himself to go to the restroom, to make Kakashi get up for him. “Obito. Stop scowling at the trees.”

“No.”

Another passenger cleared his throat, the noise coming from somewhere at the back of the bus. How many others had decided to nap? Obito glanced between his seat and the window, but he couldn’t get a full view of the bus. None of the people had their lights on though. The whole interior was dark. They only had the streetlights along the highway and the headlights of passing cars. Obito waited until he thought that Kakashi had drifted off to sleep, and then he turned away from the window. Kakashi hadn’t gone to sleep at all.

“I was just trying to keep the lady behind us from getting an eyeful. I think she grabbed my ass on the way in here.”

“Uh huh.”

“It’s the truth,” Obito hissed. Kakashi had his head turned toward Obito, lips twitching for a smile. Kakashi had a nice smile, something that started small and grew into something beautiful. Obito thought of Kakashi’s smile like the morning glories that had grown in the back of his apartment building. They always opened, and sometimes it felt as if they only opened for him. “You should get some sleep. It’s only a couple of hours until we get to Chicago.”

“I’m fine.” Kakashi closed his eyes though, and Obito finally relaxed. He didn’t think he should have noticed, but Kakashi had a fine line stretched over his left eye, just a small, thin scar. Before he could look away, Kakashi’s eyes opened.

“Yeah, don’t complain when you’re exhausted,” Obito hurriedly spoke, pretending that he hadn’t been examining Kakashi’s face. For some reason, just the thought of finding Kakashi attractive made him feel -- well, it made him feel _strange_. For being a writer, he lacked a large vocabulary, at least when it came to describing anything related to Kakashi. Handsome. That same word replayed over and over again in his head, a steady cadence for his embarrassment. 

“You’re really bad at this.”

“What?” Obito frowned and thought back to what they’d been discussing, or even what he’d been caught doing. He didn’t understand. The confusion must have been written across his face, because Kakashi sighed. “No, what?”

“You aren’t trying to flirt with me?” Kakashi looked unimpressed and that angered Obito. Obito could flirt! He opened his mouth to say a few choice words, but then he remembered the time of day; he remembered that they were on a bus bound for Washington, and they hadn’t even hit Chicago. He decided not to yell, but that didn’t mean he didn’t want to yell.

“No!” 

“Fine,” Kakashi said, one shoulder jerking for a partial shrug. He turned back toward the front and his eyes fell shut again. Obito looked down at the bottom hem of Kakashi’s t-shirt, but the smooth skin had been hidden. 

He’d broken up with Raido weeks ago, but he hadn’t tried to get back out there; he didn’t even know if he _could_ get back out there. What kind of dating scene existed for a thirty-year-old man with two suitcases, one carry-on, and fifty dollars to his name? Against his will, he looked over at Kakashi again. The man had his mouth partially open and soft snores escaped out into the quiet. Sometime during his muses, Obito must have fallen asleep too. He opened his eyes to find Kakashi standing, getting their bags from the overhead. 

“You fell asleep. We’re in Chicago.”

“Oh. Already?”

Obito accepted his bag from Kakashi and the two walked down the aisle to the front of the bus. They had another five hours to kill, but Obito just wanted to go back to sleep. Without thinking, he followed Kakashi into the bus station, where they immediately went for coffee. Obito really didn’t have the money for it, but he needed something. He didn’t think the place had free beer, so he settled for buying another macchiato. They collapsed onto a bench and dropped their bags onto the floor. While Kakashi took small sips of his coffee, Obito removed the top from his drink and blew on the liquid. He should have gotten a coffee instead of a fancy drink. He sprawled out on the bench, legs stretched out in front of him.

“Are you hungry?” Kakashi didn’t have to wait for an answer. Obito’s stomach growled. Kakashi tipped his head back and laughed. “Do you want to get something to eat?”

“I don’t really want anything here,” Obito replied, glancing at the vending machines. He had some quarters. He could grab a microwave burrito. 

“We can go somewhere else. We have five hours.”

“Yeah, let’s do it.”

They collected their bags from the floor and headed toward the exit. Neither of them had been in Chicago before, so Obito had to look up restaurants on his phone. They decided on a place called Griddle 24, and they had to take the Brown Line to get there. It took them about forty minutes to get to the restaurant, and Kakashi was the one to finally spot it. He dragged Obito toward toward the self-proclaimed urban dinner, when Obito had them going in the wrong direction. Kakashi got them a booth near the door, where they could look out at the night, and the two browsed the menus. Obito really wanted breakfast, so he ordered orange juice and a Rocky Mountain High, which was really just a Denver omelet, while Kakashi got a club sandwich and another coffee. While they waited for their food, Obito drummed his fingers on the tabletop. Kakashi seemed perfectly fine sipping his coffee and staring out the window.

“How long are you going to be in Spokane?”

“About a week.”

“Then it’s back to Pittsburgh?”

“That’s the plan.” 

After their food arrived, Obito didn’t try to force a conversation. He took a bite of his omelet and moaned, embarrassing himself and Kakashi in front of their waitress. When the waitress left, Obito sunk down lower in the booth, as if he wanted to just slide under the table and become one with the floor. Instead of taking another bite of his omelet, Obito smeared some strawberry jelly on a piece of toast and took a big bite. The satisfying crunch brought a smile to his lips.

“It’s not hard to please you, is it?” Kakashi sounded amused, so Obito looked up from his food. Sure enough, Kakashi was smiling again. Obito took another bite of his toast and then swallowed.

“Not really,” he admitted. “I was starving.”

“I can tell.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“Over half of your omelet is gone and you’ve only stopped eating to say a few words,” Kakashi replied, taking another bite of his club sandwich. Obito looked down at his plate, then back at Kakashi. Obito returned the rest of his toast to his plate. 

“Are you saying I should eat less? Because that makes you a jerk.”

“Did I say that you should eat less?”

“It seems implied.”

“Then you assumed.”

Obito picked up his fork and resumed eating, stopping only to drink his orange juice and glare at Kakashi. They spent over an hour picking at their food, until they realized they still had excess time and nowhere to go. Instead of leaving, they nursed their drinks. They weren’t the only ones in the restaurant, but the other people ate alone. When Obito had finished his third glass of juice, he finally decided that they should pay and get back to the station.

“I’ve got it,” Kakashi said, reaching for the check. Obito didn’t know how to feel about that, until Kakashi chuckled. “I asked you out, remember?” 

“Wait! Was this a date?”

“Huh. You really are bad at this.”

“I’m fine! I’m just out of practice!”

Obito stuffed his hands into the pocket of his hoodie. He’d slipped it on before they left the bus. Even though it wasn’t cool enough to wear a hoodie, he didn’t want everyone to see the mustard stain on his shirt. The two of them used the restroom at the restaurant, and then they were back on the streets again, taking the Brown Line back toward the bus station. Overall, they had killed two hours, leaving them with another three. Instead of going right back inside, the two lingered by the entrance, neither one missing the seats inside. Obito wished they could have stayed a little longer at the restaurant, but they’d spent too much time there. Hospitality only went so far. 

“Did you have fun?” Kakashi looked over at him. Obito finally noticed that Kakashi was taller than him. Instead of answering, Obito nodded. “We still have another three hours,” he said, as if reading Obito’s mind.

“Let’s go.”

It probably wasn’t the wisest decision Obito had ever made, walking through a city like Chicago in the middle of the night, but he enjoyed himself. Kakashi wasn’t always a conversationalist, but Obito filled that role well enough for the both of them. By the time they made it back to the station, it was time to board the bus bound for Milwaukee. They sat next to one another again, near the middle of the bus, the perfect distance from the bathroom and the door. Kakashi even let him take the window seat again.

“Are you going to get some sleep?” Even Kakashi sounded tired. They’d spent too much time in the city. They reclined their seats and Obito leaned into him. The book and the phone were forgotten, tucked away in their carry-ons, lost in the overhead compartment. 

“Just a couple of hours,” Obito said, yawning. They both drifted off to sleep.

They slept through several stops. Obito eventually woke up sometime after Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and he nudged Kakashi awake as well. It was around three in the afternoon, and they had another transfer in Minneapolis at half-past four. They took turns in the restroom, and then they shared a bag of chips Kakashi had bought in the early hours of the morning.

“Do you have any siblings?” Obito asked between bites of his chip, so crumbs cascaded down the front of his hoodie. Kakashi shook his head. At first, Obito didn’t know if it was in response to his question or in response to the fact that he lacked basic manners. 

“No. Do you?” Kakashi finished off the chips. He stood up to put the empty bag into his carry-on, saving it until they got the chance to leave the bus again. Just like Kakashi, Obito shook his head. 

“Nope.” He paused to brush the crumbs off onto the floor. “I have a big family though. I have a lot of cousins and aunts and uncles. We have a family reunion every year in Vegas.”

“You never told me your last name,” Kakashi said, poking Obito’s side. 

“You never asked. It’s Uchiha. My family’s originally from Sapporo. What about you?”

“Hatake. I think my family was originally from Naha. My grandfather came to the United States for work.”

Like that, Minneapolis came and went. Obito learned that Kakashi owned a home outside of Pittsburgh and he commuted to work. Kakashi had once had eight dogs, but he’d lost three of them to old age, and he had another battling cancer. Obito even got to see pictures of the dogs. His favorite was named Pakkun. The little dog looked so unhappy in the photograph that Obito had burst into laughter. Obito shared about his old job and his coworkers, telling Kakashi of office-romance gossip. And then Kakashi finally asked about Raido. 

“It was a bad break up. I caught him sleeping with my best friend, so I lost both of them. It’s okay though. I’m just glad to leave New York. I hated it there,” Obito said, finally settling on a lie. Kakashi didn’t look convinced. “I threw his clothes out the window. They landed on some movers. He had to go fight a stray dog for his lucky shirt.”

“I hope the dog won.”

“It did.” They both laughed, both of them picturing the remnants of that lucky shirt. “What was your last relationship like?”

“Maa, it doesn’t matter.”

“I told you my story!” Obito reclined in his seat, pretending to get comfortable. Kakashi snorted, but he didn’t argue with Obito. “Come on. It can’t be that bad.”

“Her name was Rin. We were supposed to get married, but she left me at the altar,” Kakashi frowned, looking past Obito to the late afternoon sky. Obito had expected a lot of things, but not that. “It was a long time ago, right after I first moved to Pittsburgh. Pakkun was actually her dog. She left him too.”

“You guys don’t need her! Good riddance,” Obito declared, angry on Kakashi’s behalf. Kakashi must have found that amusing, because he smiled. Obito wondered what that would feel like. He understood stringing someone along -- he’d lived it -- but he couldn’t imagine waiting for someone to show up, only for that person to never appear. “Was that your last relationship?”

“Yeah,” Kakashi admitted, a sigh following.

“So why did you ask me out? I thought I seemed creepy. At one point, you thought I was trying to undress you.” Obito moved in his seat until he blocked Kakashi’s view of the sky, forcing the man to look at him. Kakashi didn’t look hesitant. He didn’t look embarrassed or ashamed, in any way. “Well?”

“I think you’re cute.” 

“Aw -- wait, what? _Cute_? That’s what you go for?” Obito huffed, but that just had Kakashi laughing. “I’m a man. I’m not _cute_.”

“Then what do you think you are, Obito?”

“I’m handsome.”

“Yes, you are.”

They had less than twenty-four hours left with one another, and Obito knew that well. When the sky darkened and the other passengers drifted off to sleep, Obito remained awake. He couldn’t tell if Kakashi had really fallen asleep yet, but Obito didn’t care. He’d spent four hours getting up the nerve, and he didn’t want to waste more time. He placed a hand on Kakashi’s right arm and gave it a little shake. Kakashi’s eyes opened and he turned his head to look at Obito. Had they reached another stop? Did Obito need something? Obito saw it all in Kakashi’s eyes. When the bus arrived in Spokane, Obito wasn’t going to have regrets. Before Kakashi could speak, Obito leaned in and kissed him. Obito’s lips were chapped, but Kakashi’s weren’t. They still tasted like nacho cheese and salty fries, from the snacks and the food they’d devoured only hours before. 

“I’ve been waiting to do that since Minneapolis,” Obito admitted, after they’d separated. He picked at a loose thread on his hoodie, then Kakashi reached out to take Obito’s hand. “It wasn’t the best. I’m way better than that.”

“It was good, Obito.”

“Good.”

By the time they hit North Dakota, Obito had dozed off. Kakashi had already fallen asleep. They missed the next two stops, so they woke up in Montana, around six in the morning. Kakashi leaned over and placed a kiss on Obito's lips, then on Obito's forehead. Obito groaned and swatted blindly. Kakashi grabbed Obito's hand and tugged, pulling Obito out of the seat. The two filed off the bus, just long enough to grab sandwiches and drinks from vending machines. Instead of going back onto the bus, they lingered in the bus station. It was a cool morning, and Obito wasn't looking forward to walking back outside.

“Twelve hours to Spokane,” Obito said, after he'd finished his sandwich. He threw the sandwich's plastic container into the trash and drank some of his Pepsi. Sitting next to Obito, still eating, Kakashi made a noise. Obito waited until Kakashi finished, then the two of them filed back onto the bus. Finally, Kakashi cleared his throat.

“In two hours, we have a stop in Billings. We could spend some time walking around. There's no reason to pout.”

“I'm not pouting!” Obito adjusted his seat and the adopted his former position. He leaned into Kakashi's side and ran a hand along Kakashi's right arm. Kakashi already had his book out and had resumed reading, so Obito read along with him.

“You should read from the beginning.” Though he said that, Kakashi didn't move the book or shield the pages from Obito; actually, he turned the book so that Obito had a better view. 

Two hours later, after the book was finished and the two had taken a cat nap, Obito put his seat down, leaned over, and pressed his lips to Kakashi's. He didn't expect Kakashi to respond so well. Obito parted his lips and allowed Kakashi's tongue entrance to his mouth. They had a transfer to complete, so they had to leave the bus. Kakashi grabbed both of their carry-ons and followed Obito to the station. They had a little less than an hour, then it was on to Bozeman, Montana. Obito wished they had more time, but he didn't control the route, and he couldn't edit the itinerary. He had to enjoy the time he had with Kakashi, and then it was on to Seattle.

“Have you ever been to Montana?” 

“Several times. I like to visit my former foster family, since they relocated to Spokane. They visit me in Pittsburgh too.” Kakashi took one of Obito's hands and laced their fingers together. “Let's go to Denny's. I eat there whenever I pass through. I like their pancakes.”

“Yes! Breakfast!”

“Relax, Obito, it's just food,” Kakashi chuckled, giving Obito's hand a light squeeze. 

The two sat in another booth, where they both looked out the window at the rest of Billings. Obito had his phone on hand, so while Kakashi ordered them pancakes, Obito was searching for good attractions in the city. He decided on Riverfront Park. He found a photo of a bridge across Lake Josephine. 

“Let's go here,” Obito said. He turned his phone around for Kakashi to see the image. Obito thought the park looked peaceful, at least in the picture. “Have you been to the lake before?”

“No. Are you sure that's where you want to go? We need to hurry.”

“Don't worry. You're the one who eats slow.”

When they ordered, they ordered their food to go. They had very little time to waste, so they hurried to the park. It wasn't what Obito had thought it would be, not with the morning sun reflecting off the lake. The grass was still wet with dew, so they sat on a bench to eat their food. Billings was beautiful, especially in comparison to New York. Obito wondered why he didn't choose Montana over New York. And then he remembered Raido. He should have picked Montana. A pepper packet hit Obito’s cheek and he turned to glare at Kakashi.

“Eat your food.”

“I am! You eat your food!” Obito made a point to take an extra large bite of his pancakes. They were still warm and buttery, and they hit the spot. Obito had never eaten food from Denny's. “Wouldn't it be great to live here?”

“I don't think they let people live in the park, Obito,” Kakashi answered, quite cheeky. Obito rolled his eyes and jabbed his fork in Kakashi's direction.

“Ha ha, asshole. I meant in Billings.”

“Spokane is better.”

“I've been there and it's nothing like here.”

They finally got to walk across the red bridge, and Obito took a photo of Kakashi, the clear, blue sky in the background. Obito could get used to Montana. In the end, they had to rush back to the bus station. They had enough time to grab some more snacks for the rest of their trip, and then it was onto a new bus, one bound for Butte. Obito sat in the window seat again, and Kakashi took their bags and stowed them in the overhead. Obito held one of Kakashi's hands in his own and listened to a rock ballad built for a king. Yeah, he liked Queen.

“Why don't you come with me?” Four hours had passed, and the bus had finally stopped in Butte. They had fifteen minutes to stretch their legs, but neither moved. Obito was fine just leaning against Kakashi.

“Do you have to use the restroom?” Obito fixed his seat to an upright position, but Kakashi stopped him from standing. Kakashi wore an expression Obito hadn't seen before. He looked absolutely serious, and yet very much exposed. “Kakashi?”

“Come with me to Spokane.”

“Are you crazy?”

“I've been called that a few times,” Kakashi answered, shrugging a shoulder. He'd closed his book. Maybe he'd finished it again hours ago. Obito had never asked. “It's a little under five hours from Seattle.”

“You'd really let me come with you? You hardly know me! I hardly know you!” 

Obito didn't have any other excuses, but he felt as if there should have been more. His gut told him to go for it. He hadn't felt that alive in years. And Kakashi wasn't a stranger. They'd been together for hours. They'd already had two great dates. Obito could see himself spending more time with Kakashi. He didn't want their time together to end. He could handle himself, _if_ something happened. Kakashi's words came to him again. Spokane wasn't that far from Seattle. He knew he could call his grandmother and tell her he'd be late. Sometime during Obito's thought process, Kakashi had turned away. 

“Hey, I didn't say no!” Obito put a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and the man looked at him again. Obito leaned in, their lips brushing, and then they parted. Obito touched Kakashi's cheek. “I'll go with you.”

They had one more stop to Spokane, and Obito couldn't take the waiting. Kakashi had decided to nap, but Obito couldn't sleep. He knew he was being reckless. He knew he should have said _no_ , but playing it safe had never been his style. Kakashi had said to never move, unless Obito was married, but it wasn't a move. It was two lonely people spending time in Spokane, Washington, and then Obito would leave for Seattle. He'd leave Kakashi. He'd move back to his grandmother's apartment building, where the neighbors constantly argued over their cats, where the downstairs people listened to loud music until after midnight. Obito brushed a hand through Kakashi's hair and Kakashi moved closer. Kakashi slept through Missoula, his eyes finally opening on the next stop. Spokane.

“Are you sure you want to come with me?”

“Yes! Stop asking me. I'll say _no_ next time!” Obito quieted down, and then the anxiety bubbled to the surface. He felt half-sick. Standing in the bus station, his suitcases and carry-on in his possession, he watched the bus pull away. It was on to Kellogg. He should have been on board, bound for Kellogg.

Kakashi came up beside him, one large suitcase in hand, a garment bag hanging over his right forearm. “Come on. We haven't had good food since Minneapolis.”

“How long do you want me to stay? Am I going to need to stay overnight? How am I getting to Seattle now?” Obito threw out question after question. “I feel sick.”

“You can stay as long as you want. I can drive you to Seattle later. I'm sure Kushina won't mind if I borrow the car.” Kakashi set his suitcase down and draped his garment bag over it. Obito saw a black suit through the clear opening in the black bag. “It'll be fine.” And he smiled at Obito. For the first time, they hugged.

“You aren't trying to kidnap me, are you?”

“The question is, would you mind?”

“Probably not.”

Obito slid the strap of his carry-on over his right shoulder and then they moved on, leaving the bus station behind. Kakashi pulled out his cell phone and got them an Uber. While they waited, they stepped into a coffee shop and had croissants and fresh coffee. Obito hadn't had fresh coffee since the beginning of his trip, since before he met Kakashi. He stared at the man across from him. Obito could get used to Spokane.


End file.
